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What I wouldn’t give to be in Mitchell, Nebraska January 10, 2006 for the big Bean Cook-off. I’ve been at other events when dry edible bean growers whip up some tasty bean dishes but the Mitchell event promises to be extra special as it celebrates Dry Edible Bean Day in Nebraska.
I can’t be there but will mark the occasion with a piping hot bowl of Senate Bean Soup in one of the Senate Cafeterias. Senate Bean Soup, most likely made with beans from Nebraska, has been a Capitol Hill favorite for about a century.
Legend has it that in the early 1900s powerful House Speaker Joseph Cannon came in for lunch one day, looked at the menu, didn’t see bean soup listed, and exclaimed, “Thunderation, I had my mouth set for bean soup. From now on, hot or cold, rain, snow, or shine, I want it on the menu everyday.” And, so it is. Every day of the week, every month of the year, Senate Bean Soup is on the menu at all 11 Capitol dining rooms.
Recipes for Senate Bean Soup vary (I’m sure you’ll see a few in Mitchell on January 10th). I’ll leave one that I like at the end of this column. I like this recipe best because it’s probably made with beans from Nebraska. How can I be sure? Because some recipes call for using Navy Beans, but this one calls for using Great Northern Beans and Nebraska is the Number One producer of Great Northern Beans in the United States. The USDA says Nebraska accounts for the majority of the U.S. Great Northern crop which means if you’re eating baked beans in Boston, Senate Bean Soup in Washington, a cassoulet in Paris, a vegetarian stew in San Francisco, or White Bean Chili in Dallas, and they’re made with Great Northern Beans, chances are they were grown in Nebraska.
Drive through the Panhandle and you’ll see 100,000 acres devoted to Great Northern Beans. That’s a huge number, equivalent to half the size of New York City.
We also grow Pinto Beans where Nebraska ranks Number 3 in the Nation. Overall, Nebraska ranks Number 3 in the Nation with production from more than 700 farms providing 13 percent of the total U.S. crop which is pretty good seeing as beans are grown in 40 states. Great Northerns account for 43 percent of Nebraska’s total bean crop with Pintos making up 44 percent with smaller amounts of Light Red Kidney, Navy, Black and Garbanzo beans.
Nebraska’s Dry Edible Bean Growers are not only feeding the world but contributing greatly to the U-S economy while doing it. Growers get no Federal price supports for their product, half of which is exported to foreign markets such as Mexico, the United Kingdom, Haiti, Dominican Republic, France, Greece, Northern Africa, Canada, and soon, Cuba and Iraq. I am proud to have played a part in opening up both the Cuban and Iraqi markets.
The next time you’re enjoying a tasty meal made from this nutritious, high-protein, low fat, low calorie, no cholesterol vegetable that’s rich with B-vitamins, iron, calcium, potassium, and phosphorous, take comfort in knowing it’s not only good for you, it’s good for Nebraska.
And, the next time you’re in Washington, DC, stop by one of the Capitol Dining rooms and enjoy a bowl of Senate Bean Soup. The pot is always on. As promised, here’s a recipe that I like. “NEBRASKA” SENATE BEAN SOUP
INGREDIENTS:
6 ¼ cups dry Great Northern Beans ¾ pound smoked ham shank 12 cups water 3 tablespoons ham base 1 onion chopped 1 carrot chopped 2 stalks celery chopped 1 teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS: Soak beans in water overnight. Combine ham shank and 4 cups water and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove meat from bone and shred meat. Drain beans Combine beans, 12 cups water and other ingredients in 8 quart pot Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 1 ½ hours.
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